


spitfire

by azureforest



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Arguing, Companionable Snark, Confessions, M/M, Swearing, Tending to Wounds, badly-timed confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 10:10:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18163829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azureforest/pseuds/azureforest
Summary: ill-placed words break a world and reassemble it in one breath- yet untimely confessions turn out timely, confessions upon confessions toppling out, countless in the aftermath.so they do not bother to keep count.(or: please, for the sake of your healers, dont stand in aoes unless you have to.)





	spitfire

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS significantly more dialogue-heavy than what i usually do whew wee. anyways. please forgive my oc rambles as of late, theyre just.... theyre just bastards, both of them. i love them.
> 
> jochi moks belongs to my friend, valerien is mine. have fun!

“I _cannot_ believe you _truly_ did that. My disappointment in you? Unending. What on _Hydaelyn_ possessed you to pull that _Fury-forsaken stunt--_ ”

Valerien’s voice is raised, eyes alight with something vicious as he bares his teeth. Delicate hands move with more force than necessary, no longer the mandatory clinical gentleness required when dressing wounds- They tense in the collar of Jochi’s jacket, knuckles pressing down ever so slightly on the sides of his neck.

“It was a necessary precaution. We’d’ve been pincered otherwise and would probably be pushing daisies right now. Or having a nice lil’ dip in an ocean trench, if you fancy that.” Jochi’s flat glare remains unwavering as he moves his face closer in defiance. There is something in his voice dangerously close to a sneer.

“But _you_ wouldn't know that, would you? Tch.”

The knuckles press down harder for a moment; Minutely, but he can still feel the jut of bones through the fabric, before hands release him, laying heavily on his shoulders, gripping- Just slightly too hard. He’d relish this more if he weren’t in general physical agony; The other rarely trusts anyone with his rage, no matter how greatly it burns, so bearing witness to it is an odd sort of privilege he has.

But, alas. Jochi winces as the wound in his side throbs.

“Oi, the fuck.” he snarls. Valerien relinquishes his grip and rakes a hand through his hair.

“You,” he musters, then stills. The Xaela scoffs, cringes in pain, schools that into part of his expression.

“Yeah, me. I’m alive, aren’t I? Bastards’re dead, too. Just another job done.”

“You could have _died_ ,” the elezen spits in reply, fists clenching, “because that was the most _foolish_ thing to do that I could have _possibly_ imagined and- Gods take me, distraction and intended glancing blow or no, taking a _lance_ to the ribs is nothing short of _ludicrous_ and bottom line, _you’re fucking stupid_ and I absolutely cannot _stand_ you, you--”

“We’re both fine now, the fuck is your problem-”

“We are _not_ -”

“ _Your_ deal is that you worry overmuch-”

“Bastard, you’re not taking this seriously at all-”

“So you _are_ worried about me? Ha, never thought I’d see the day-”

“ _I worry about you because I love you, you swiving ingrate!_ ”

 

A pause, a strange hiccuping staccato neither can quite place. _Swiving ingrate?_ Jochi harrumphs, because he knows Valerien can come up with better insults, but then he sees how the Duskwight has gone completely still, anger trickling out of his posture to be replaced with mounting horror- For a moment he wonders if a bloody hole had opened up in his chest, (and boy would that absolutely _not_ be his fault this time,) but his mind begins catching up with his horns through the blood loss and general irritation.

Oh, love?

Huh.

 _Oh wait holy shit_ **_what?_ ** Jochi stiffens, blurts a ‘you _what_?’ before grunting in pain, curling upon himself.

Valerien flinches and does not reply. He looks like he may break into a run for the cabinets; Whether it will be to retrieve supplies or attempt to crawl into them is a mystery, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. A hiss, an outstretched hand is all it takes to keep him there, long ears drooping and eyes still wide, lips parted as if his mouth had gone dry.

“Oh no no _no_ we are talking about this right _now_ , fuck the bandages or whatever you plan to slap on me for a few seconds longer, I’ll live.” Jochi makes some effort to stand, wooden chair creaking when he gives up. “Repeat that.”

“Swiving ingrate.” Valerien replies, speaking around the crack in his voice.

A sigh. “Seriously?” The elezen clenches his fists, glances away.

“You heard me, didn’t you. I’ve- I’ve no desire to repeat what I said.”

“Eri. I can’t believe I’m being the reasonable one here--” A long pause. Another sigh follows as Valerien’s shoulders slump.

“... You ought to value yourself more.” he grumbles, the lines between concern and ire blurring. A breath, quiet and hesitant coils in his throat as he bows his head.

“I worry about you _because_ I love you.”

“... Me?” Jochi asks, in slight disbelief.

“You.” Valerien repeats, another silence returning to drag itself across the floor. The tension returns to his frame after a bit as he glances up; Scoffs, irritated at the lack of response, vaguely looks as if he’s contemplating kicking Jochi in the head.

“Well? Hilarious, isn't it? You can laugh now. I _love_ you. I love _you_.”

Jochi is not laughing. His tail slides across the wooden surface of the chair, before he takes hold of it and pulls it into his lap. He opens his mouth, closes it again in a frown. Valerien lets the beginnings of _Cure_ swell forth between his fingers.

“If I need to treat you for a concussion, too, you can just ask, you know.”

“Eri.” The elezen scowls, the magic sputters out. Jochi stands, still clutching his tail, wobbles a bit. “Why.”

“Seven hells if I know- You’re blunt, insensitive, and all-around quite terrible, but--” Jochi’s hands grip his tail a little harder, before he realises what he’s doing and releases it like he’s been burned. Valerien looks- pained, almost, like the pulse thrumming under his throat may burst.

“You’re assured, and proud, and so… honest. So ultimately honest with everyone but yourself, just sometimes. And you- Putting up with a whiny, uncertain, spitfire arse such as I- My, my everything, I feel as if I can just--”

He stops, and time slows to a crawl as his hands reach up, curl against his chest as he bows his head. His voice is soft, terrified of his own tongue- The traitor of a poet residing in his heart spilling his ink. He remembers to breathe as it seeps into his shoulders.

“I remembered myself. You… You are the one who brought that about. Around you, I can…”

Gentle hands spread, trembling ever-so slightly. It is an open gesture, all the notes played;

“I can trust you with everything I am and all I will be. How could _love_ not follow?”

\- An ended refrain waiting for its response.

A shaky inhale comes first- Jochi is dumbstruck, _still_ dumbstruck, but his feet move for him. A step forwards, another, crossing the space inbetween. The elezen does not flinch where the au ra expected him to. He latches onto their unspoken duet seamlessly, even though the quiet lingers; Looms only slightly, as he always does, and green eyes slowly open at the shadow cast over them.

“Valerien Noreciel,” Jochi begins, a hand lifting to cup Valerien’s chin. The intent is clear, and Valerien leans into the touch, welcoming, warm. “-you are."

“A godsdamned fool?” The Duskwight chimes in with a helpless laugh, one of a man who's accepted he's in far too deep.

“-A fucking idiot.” Jochi finishes, and pulls the other into a kiss.

There is no spark, only a sweetness they both chase before it melts away upon lovesick lips. It deepens briefly, before they part, delighting in the uncertainty as much as they fear it. The Xaela’s side still stings, he realises with a quiet grunt, an ache the other soothes with a flickering _Tetragrammation_.

“I am still angry at you.” Valerien murmurs against Jochi’s cheek.

 _I’ll be careful_ , is what he thinks, but he wraps it up in other words, just for him. “I love you too,” is what he replies, and he laughs when Valerien’s breath hitches, repeats it again for the sake of it.

Again,

and again,

and once more, just to flip their odds.

Valerien curses, a delightfully sharp sound, and pulls him in for another kiss to shut him up.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated- thank you for reading!


End file.
